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The Tobacco Bill Goes Up In Smoke

June 28, 1998

In Business This Week

THE TOBACCO BILL GOES UP IN SMOKE

A YEAR AFTER BIG TOBACCO'S HISTORIC SETTLEMENT with the states, opponents in the Senate snuffed out anti-tobacco legislation on June 17, effectively killing chances of a comprehensive tobacco bill passing Congress this year. Democrats will step up efforts to make the collapse of the bill a political issue in the Nov. 3 elections, portraying Republicans as pawns of Big Tobacco. That could prod GOP leaders to consider a scaled-down version that would focus on reducing teen smoking and drug use. But for now, Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), the bill's chief sponsor, is loath to consider a more modest proposal.EDITED BY PAT WECHSLER